One reason the Bangkok audience has recently seen a rise in the number of theatre performances are the three new venues--Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre, Makhampom Studio and Crescent Moon Space--which have been operational for a little over a year now.

What many of us may not know, thanks in part to less interest from the media, is that the shophouse right behind the traffic-police booth at Saphan Kwai intersection, otherwise known as Makhampom Studio, has hosted 18 small-scale theatre productions of various genres, and, of course, levels of professionalism--12 of which were by Makhampom. Similarly, the innermost room at Pridi Banomyong Institute in Soi Thong Lor, now known as Crescent Moon Space, has been the venue for 15 small productions, two of which were in-house productions. That is to say, on average, there has been more than one production a month at both venues.

Even with such prolificity and variety, these two venues are currently running in bright-red figures. Sponsorship and donation have been very little or nil. Perhaps major business corporations and cultural agencies cannot see how these small plays can matter to them and the public. Besides, as Makhampom Studio seats only about 50 audiences and Crescent Moon Space 30, producers have not been able to recuperate their production cost from ticket sales.

Recently, Makhampom celebrated the studio's first anniversary with the revival of a social satire, "Saphan Kwai My Love", which opened the space one year ago. Despite its name specific to the community struck by New Year’s Eve bombing more than a year ago, the dramatic situations in Pradit Prasartthong’s four-character comedy, punctuated with outrageously hilarious and fantastically amusing musical breakaway episodes, subtly represent what’s happening in Bangkok amidst the fear caused by political turmoil.

Apart from the praiseworthy script, the one-act play featured stellar ensemble performance by four actors who truly transformed themselves into the characters, with some help from make-up and costume changes. In the end, a security guard whose wife had run away with a man, a clothing factory-worker whose heart was broken by a married taxi-motorcyclist, a Chinese goldshop-owner's wife who was bored by her daily routine and a pizza-delivery man carrying a mysterious box, entertained and inspired us to persist regardless of life's hardships.

Crescent Moon Space too staged an original Thai drama "Love Invisible"--the Thai title was "Rak Bang Ta". Penned by Kavinthorn Saengsakorn and Sineenadh Keitprapai, the one-act play aims at showing the young and heartbroken that there is more to love and life than meets the eye and that suicide should never be an easy way out.

Despite its substantial subject matter, smart use of stage space and multimedia, in addition to commendable acting by two very hard-working professional stage thespians of this time--Kriengkrai Fukasem and Pavinee Samakkabutr--the dialogues revealed a little too much and the overall direction rode on the sentimental track a little too long for the audience to be moved. In the beginning, we saw a recording of a woman walking up a staircase, and some knew where she was headed to and, unfortunately, that mood stayed until the end.

At Crescent Moon Space, Damkerng Thitapiyasak is staging 'Waiting for GD', until Sunday, August 3. Visit: www.CrecentMoonTheatre.com

written by Pawit Mahasarinand

published in The Nation on Wednesday, July 23, 2008

"Saphan Kwai My Love" photos courtesy of Makhampom

"Love Invisible" photos courtesy of Crescent Moon Theatre